bel ami-第22章

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one　another；　and　I　believe　truly　that　there　is　something　else　to　be
done　in　life。〃

She　whispered：　〃Yes；　but　it　is　nice　sometimes！　It　is　nice　when　one
has　nothing　better　to　do。〃

Georges'　thoughts　were　busy　with　the　dead；　he　said　to　himself
angrily：　〃I　am　foolish　to　worry；　to　torment　myself　as　I　have　done。〃
After　remonstrating　thus　with　himself；　he　felt　more　reconciled　to
the　thought　of　Forestier；　and　felt　like　exclaiming：　〃Good　evening；
old　fellow！〃

Madeleine；　who　was　bored　by　his　silence；　asked：　〃Shall　we　go　to
Tortoni's　for　ices　before　returning　home？〃

He　glanced　at　her　from　his　corner　and　thought：　〃She　is　pretty；　so
much　the　better。　Tit　for　tat；　my　comrade。　But　if　they　begin　again　to
annoy　me　with　you；　it　will　get　somewhat　hot　at　the　North　Pole！〃

Then　he　replied：　〃Certainly；　my　darling；〃　and　before　she　had　time　to
think　he　kissed　her。　It　seemed　to　Madeleine　that　her　husband's　lips
were　icy。　However　he　smiled　as　usual　and　gave　her　his　hand　to　assist
her　to　alight　at　the　cafe。




CHAPTER　XI。

MADAME　WALTER　TAKES　A　HAND


On　entering　the　office　the　following　day；　Du　Roy　sought　Boisrenard
and　told　him　to　warn　his　associates　not　to　continue　the　farce　of
calling　him　Forestier；　or　there　would　be　war。　When　Du　Roy　returned
an　hour　later；　no　one　called　him　by　that　name。　From　the　office　he
proceeded　to　his　home；　and　hearing　the　sound　of　ladies'　voices　in
the　drawing…room；　he　asked　the　servant：　〃Who　is　here？〃

〃Mme。　Walter　and　Mme。　de　Marelle；〃　was　the　reply。

His　heart　pulsated　violently　as　he　opened　the　door。　Clotilde　was
seated　by　the　fireplace；　it　seemed　to　Georges　that　she　turned　pale
on　perceiving　him。

Having　greeted　Mme。　Walter　and　her　two　daughters　seated　like
sentinels　beside　her；　he　turned　to　his　former　mistress。　She　extended
her　hand；　he　took　and　pressed　it　as　if　to　say：　〃I　love　you　still！〃
She　returned　the　pressure。

He　said：　〃Have　you　been　well　since　we　last　met？〃

〃Yes；　have　you；　Bel…Ami？〃　And　turning　to　Madeleine　she　added：　〃Will
you　permit　me　to　call　him　Bel…Ami？〃

〃Certainly；　my　dear；　I　will　permit　anything　you　wish。〃

A　shade　of　irony　lurked　beneath　those　words；　uttered　so　pleasantly。

Mme。　Walter　mentioned　a　fencing…match　to　be　given　at　Jacques　Rival's
apartments；　the　proceeds　to　be　devoted　to　charities；　and　in　which
many　society　ladies　were　going　to　assist。　She　said：　〃It　will　be　very
entertaining；　but　I　am　in　despair；　for　we　have　no　one　to　escort　us；
my　husband　having　an　engagement。〃

Du　Roy　offered　his　services　at　once。　She　accepted；　saying：　〃My
daughters　and　I　shall　be　very　grateful。〃

He　glanced　at　the　younger　of　the　two　girls　and　thought：　〃Little
Suzanne　is　not　at　all　bad；　not　at　all。〃

She　resembled　a　doll；　being　very　small　and　dainty；　with　a　well…
proportioned　form；　a　pretty；　delicate　face；　blue…gray　eyes；　a　fair
skin；　and　curly；　flaxen　hair。　Her　elder　sister；　Rose；　was　plainone
of　those　girls　to　whom　no　attention　is　ever　paid。　Her　mother　rose；
and　turning　to　Georges；　said：　〃I　shall　count　on　you　next　Thursday　at
two　o'clock。〃

He　replied：　〃Count　upon　me；　Madame。〃

When　the　door　closed　upon　Mme。　Walter；　Mme。　de　Marelle；　in　her　turn；
rose。

〃Au　revoir；　Bel…Ami。〃

This　time　she　pressed　his　hand　and　he　was　moved　by　that　silent
avowal。　〃I　will　go　to　see　her　to…morrow；〃　thought　he。

Left　alone　with　his　wife；　she　laughed；　and　looking　into　his　eyes
said：　〃Mme。　Walter　has　taken　a　fancy　to　you！〃

He　replied　incredulously：　〃Nonsense！〃

〃But　I　know　it。　She　spoke　of　you　to　me　with　great　enthusiasm。　She
said　she　would　like　to　find　two　husbands　like　you　for　her　daughters。
Fortunately　she　is　not　susceptible　herself。〃

He　did　not　understand　her　and　repeated：　〃Susceptible　herself？〃

She　replied　in　a　tone　of　conviction：　〃Oh；　Mme。　Walter　is
irreproachable。　Her　husband　you　know　as　well　as　I。　But　she　is
different。　Still　she　has　suffered　a　great　deal　in　having　married　a
Jew；　though　she　has　been　true　to　him；　she　is　a　virtuous　woman。〃

Du　Roy　was　surprised：　〃I　thought　her　a　Jewess。〃

〃She　a　Jewess！　No；　indeed！　She　is　the　prime　mover　in　all　the
charitable　movements　at　the　Madeleine。　She　was　even　married　by　a
priest。　I　am　not　sure　but　that　M。　Walter　went　through　the　form　of
baptism。〃

Georges　murmured：　〃Andshelikesme〃

〃Yes。　If　you　were　not　married　I　should　advise　you　to　ask　for　the
hand　ofSuzannewould　you　not　prefer　her　to　Rose？〃

He　replied　as　he　twisted　his　mustache：　〃Eh！　the　mother　is　not　so
bad！〃

Madeleine　replied：　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　her。　At　her　age　one　does　not
begin　to　make　conquestsone　should　commence　sooner。〃

Georges　thought：　〃If　I　might　have　had　Suzanne；　ah！〃　Then　he　shrugged
his　shoulders：　〃Bah；　it　is　absurd；　her　father　would　not　have
consented。〃

He　determined　to　treat　Mme。　Walter　very　considerately　in　order　to
retain　her　regard。　All　that　evening　he　was　haunted　by　recollections
of　his　love　for　Clotilde；　he　recalled　their　escapades；　her　kindness。
He　repeated　to　himself：　〃She　is　indeed　nice。　Yes；　I　shall　call　upon
her　to…morrow。〃

When　he　had　lunched　the　following　morning　he　repaired　to　Rue
Verneuil。　The　same　maid　opened　the　door；　and　with　the　familiarity　of
an　old　servant　she　asked：　〃Is　Monsieur　well？〃

He　replied：　〃Yes；　my　child；〃　and　entered　the　drawing…room　in　which
some　one　was　practising　scales。　It　was　Laurine。　He　expected　she
would　fall　upon　his　neck。　She；　however；　rose　ceremoniously；　bowed
coldly；　and　left　the　room　with　dignity；　her　manner　was　so　much　like
that　of　an　outraged　woman　that　he　was　amazed。　Her　mother　entered。　He
kissed　her　hand。

〃How　much　I　have　thought　of　you；〃　said　he。

〃And　I　of　you；〃　she　replied。

They　seated　themselves　and　smiled　as　they　gazed　into　one　another's
eyes。

〃My　dear　little　Clo；　I　love　you。〃

〃And　I　love　you。〃

〃Stillstillyou　did　not　miss　me。〃

〃Yes　and　no。　I　was　grieved；　but　when　I　heard　your　reason；　I　said　to
myself：　'Bah；　he　will　return　to　me　some　day。'〃

〃I　dared　not　come。　I　did　not　know　how　I　should　be　received。　I　dared
not；　but　I　longed　to　come。　Now；　tell　me　what　ails　Laurine；　she
scarcely　bade　me　good　morning　and　left　the　room　with　an　angry　air。〃

〃I　do　not　know；　but　one　cannot　mention　you　to　her　since　your
marriage；　I　really　believe　she　is　jealous。〃

〃Nonsense。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear；　she　no　longer　calls　you　Bel…Ami；　but　M。　Forestier
instead。〃

Du　Roy　colored；　then　drawing　nearer　the　young　woman；　he　said：　〃Kiss
me。〃

She　obeyed　him。

〃Where　can　we　meet　again？〃　he　asked。

〃At　Rue　de　Constantinople。〃

〃Ah；　are　the　apartments　not　rented？〃

〃No；　I　kept　them。〃

〃You　did？〃

〃Yes；　I　thought　you　would　return。〃

His　heart　bounded　joyfully。　She　loved　him　then　with　a　lasting　love！
He　whispered：　〃I　adore　you。〃　Then　he　asked：　〃Is　your　husband　well？〃

〃Yes；　very　well。　He　has　just　been　home　for　a　month；　he　went　away　the
day　before　yesterday。〃

Du　Roy　could　not　suppress　a　smile：　〃How　opportunely　that　always
happens！〃

She　replied　naively：　〃Yes；　it　happens　opportunely；　but　he　is　not　in
the　way　when　he　is　here；　is　he？〃

〃That　is　true；　he　is　a　charming　man！〃

〃How　do　you　like　your　new　life？〃

〃Tolerably；　my　wife　is　a　comrade；　an　associate；　nothing　more；　as　for
my　heart〃

〃I　understand；　but　she　is　good。〃

〃Yes；　she　does　not　trouble　me。〃

He　drew　near　Clotilde　and　murmured：　〃When　shall　we　meet　again？〃

〃To…morrow；　if　you　will。〃

〃Yes；　to…morrow　at　two　o'clock。〃

He　rose　to　take　his　leave　somewhat　embarrassed。

〃You　know　I　intend　to　take　back　the　rooms　on　Rue　de　Constantinople
myself。　I　wish　to；　it　is　not　necessary　for　you　to　pay　for　them。〃

She　kissed　his　hands；　saying：　〃You　may　do　as　you　like。　I　am
satisfied　to　have　kept　them　until　we　met　again。〃　And　Du　Roy　took　his
leave　very　well　satisfied。

When　Thursday　came；　he　asked　Madeleine：　〃Are　going　to　the　fencing…
match　at　Rival's？〃

〃No；　I　do　not　care　about　it。　I　will　go　to　the　chamber　of　deputies。〃

Georges　called　for　Mme。　Walter　in　an　open　carriage；　for　the　weather
was　delightful。　He　was　surprised　to　find　her　looking　so　handsome　and
so　young。　Never　had　she　appeared　so　fresh。　Her　daughter；　Suzanne；
was　dressed　in　pink；　her　sister　looked　like　her　governess。　At
Rival's　door　was　a　long　line　of　carriages。　Du　Roy　offered　his　arm　to
Mm